Ventilating-mask



G. E. DARROW.

VENTILATING MASK.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.1s, 191s.

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

G. E. DARROW.

VENTILATING MASK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 1918.

'1,328,521 '7. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

V A11*- y.

G. E. DARROW.

VEN'ILATING MASK. APPLICATION FILED Nov.1a. 19m.

11,323,21 7. Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

3 sHEETssHEET 3.

zvglnr -By WML.

GEORGE E. DARROW, O F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

vENTILATING-MASK.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patented NOV. 25, 1919 Application led November 13, 1918. Serial No.l 262,395.

5 cisco and State 0f California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ventilating-Masks, of which the following is a specification. l

My invention relates to improvements in masks for conveying a proper quantity of suitably tempered air to meet the individual requirements of patients in hospitals and the like.

It is conceded that the conditon of the surrounding atmosphere is an important and highly essential factor governing the recovery of patients.

Experience and experiment has determined that approximately one cubic yard 20 of fresh air per person per minute is re- .:squired for proper breathing purposes. In order to insure delivery of this amount per person four cubic yards offresh air per person per minute are required to be delivered into a room so that any mechanical or other articial Ventilating device is only twenty-five per cent. efficient. 3*'

During the present crisis many military and other hospitals have their normal capacity, and therefore the capacity of their Ventilating systems, overtaXed.

The object of the present invention is to render such present Ventilating systems onehundred per cent. efficient without altering or rebuilding said systems by conveying the entire four cubic yards per minute to four patients instead of one patient, by in eans of tubular connections and masks, easily and comfortably applied and worn almost continually.

The means and method of tempering, cleansing and otherwise treating the atmosphere before delivery to a patient is the subject matter of a copending application, filed the 13th day of November, 1918, Serial No. 262,394, reference to which is hereby made.

A further object of the present invention is tol provide means for chemically treating the eXhalations of the patient to render of such exhalations from the mask to the surrounding atmosphere to render the same less dangerous for breathing purposes by nurses and other attendants in the apart; ment.

sterile the germs therein before the passagev It is also an object to provide a ventilating mask which may be easily removed temporarily so that access may be had to the mouth and nose of the patient.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mask which will insure delivery of the entire supply of tempered air to the vicinity of the mouth and nostrils of the patient at a slightly greater pressure than atmospheric so that eXh'alations will be entirely scavenged from the interior of the mask before successive inhalations begin.

Improved adjustable means are also provided to hold the mask effectively and comfortably to the face of the patient so that no inconvenience will be experienced. Other improved means are provided by means of whichthe pressure of the mask against the face of the patient may be readily adjusted by the patient himself.

To prevent drafts of air, which might prove annoying, from escaping from the mask and against the face, eyes or nose, a flexible flange is employed which has the same function as that of a cup washer on a hydraulic piston operating with a cylinder thereby preventing the passage of airV between the edge of the mask and the face of the patient. A

I- accomplish these several features by means of the preferred form of the device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the present s eciiication wherein like characters of re erence are used to designate similar parts throughout the said specification and drawings, and in which* Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rec'umbent patient with my improved mask in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a patient with the mask applied;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the mask with dotted lines indicating a portion of a human profile;

Fig. 4 is a broken front elevation, partly in section, of Fig. 3; and v Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. in horizontal section.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate in general a mask comprising a vhollow body, of semi-resilient material such as partially vulcanized rubber or they like, having one. open end shaped to conform to the face of a patient adjacent the nose as indicated in Fig. 3 of the draw- 4 partly ings. The edge of the shaped end of the body 1 is provided with a resilient or flexible flange 2 arranged at right angles to the said Vedge and adapted, when the body 1 is pressed against the face of a patient, to lie closely to said face to provide a snugly fitting mask, as disclosed in Fig. 3 of the drawings. l

The body 1 is also provided with opposed lateral ports 3 arranged to deliver opposing streams of tempered air in the vicinity of the mouth and nose of the patient. The inlet ends of pipes or tubes l4 are connected with the respective branches of a T 6, and the outlet ends of the pipes 4 are rotatably held within sleeves 7 having inwardly and outwardly extending annular flanges 8 and 9 on the inward and outward ends of said sleeves 7 respectively, said Y sleeves being mounted within' the ports 3 of the mask or body l.

Tempered air of the correct temperature and humidity is delivered to the T 6 from a source not shown.

A suitable head-piece or band 11 is secured around the head of the patient in any suitable manner and is provided with-pro jecting lugs 12 between which is pivotally mounted a bifurcated spring member 13 having a series of apertures 14 in the bifurcated ends thereof to engage pins 16 on collars 17 rotatably mounted upon each of the sleeves 7 extending from the ports 3, said collars 17 being rotatably held in position by means of the flanges 9 on said sleeves 7. p

r1`he spring member 13 is provided with an extension 18 extending beyond the pivotal point of the spring member 13 and is normally engaged by a spring 19 whose tension may be regulated by means of a 'thumb nut 21 screwed within said spring and resting against the head piece 11.

The spring 19 extends beyond the pivotal point of the spring member 13 so that when the said member 13 is rotated to bring the extension beyond the shortest possible straight line between said pivotal point and the spring 19 or in other Words, past a dead center, the tension of the spring 19 will opcrate :eversely to hold the bifurcated spring member 13 and the mask attached thereto away from the fac-e of the patient.

Normally the spring 19 operates to press or actuate the spring member 13 in a direction which will press the mask 1 against the face of a patient, and as said mask 1 is pivmask l against the features may be regu lated and adjusted to the comfort of the patient by means of the thumb nut 21. If the said thumb nut 21 is screwed in a direction which will move it away from the band or head-piece llrit is evident that a greater tension will be imparted to the spring 19 and therefore to the spring member 13 which will in lturn exert a greater pressure of the mask 1 against the features. By turning the thumb nut 21 in the opposite direction the pressure will be decreased. Therefore the patient may easily adjust the pressure of the .mask Vupon his features to suit his comfort.

The end of the body or mask 1 opposite the ymouth of the patient is provided with a ring 22 over which is mounted a suitable exhaust valve 2'3 which also holds in position to`- cover the entire outlet of said valve 23 a suitable absorbent material 24 chemically treated to sterilize the exhalations of the patient and to receive and retain any sputum or other dangerous ingredients of said exhalations when passed from the interior of the mask to the interior of the compartment within which the patient may be confined.

For temporarily gaining access to the mouth or nostrils of the patient for the purpose ofadministering medicine, eating, or any other purpose the spring member 13 is rotated upon its pivotal point until the mask the apertures 14 therein from the pins 16 on the collars 17.

The spring member 13 is shaped to conform to the general configuration of the human nose and preferably arranged to lie close to said nose so as not to obstruct or annoy the vision of the patient and at the same time sufficiently far from the nose to allow resiliency to operate in holding the mask closely to the face.

The outlet ends of the tubes 4 are rotatably held within the sleeves 7 in order that said tubes 4 and the T 6 may be reversed so as to 11e upon the chest of the patient' when sitting, or when in a recumbent positon if it` is so desired.

Itis obvious from the foregoing that'I have provided an improved Ventilating mask for patients which, in connection with a proper mechanism for delivering vproperly tempered air, will render said device substantially one-hundred per cent. efficient as well as delivering a sufficient amount of properl tempered air directly to the patient. t is also evident that I have provided improved means whereby exhalations of the patients maybe rendered sterile and therefore harmless thereby preventing the spread of disease by infection.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as newand desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. lA Ventilating mask for patients and the like comprising a hollow body shaped at one end to conform to the features and to inclose the nose and mouth of said features; means for conveying slightly compressed air to the interior of the'mask; means actuated by air pressure within the mask for preventing the escape of air between the mask and features; an exhaust valve to permit the passage of air from the mask; and means for sterilizing air passing through said exhaust valve.

2. A Ventilating mask for patients and the like comprising a hollow body shaped at one end to conform to the featuresand to inclose the nose and mouth of said features; means for conveying slightly ,compressed air to the interior of the mask; means actuated by airpressure within t he mask for preventing the escape of air between the mask and features; an exhaust valve to permit the passage of air from the mask; means for ster1lizing air passing through said exhaust valve; and means Afor mask against the features.

3. A Ventilating mask for patients and the like comprisng a hollow body shaped at one end to conform to the features and to inclose the nose and mouth of said features; means for conveying slightly compressed air to the interior of the mask; means actuated by air pressure within the mask for preventing the escape of air between the mask and features; an exhaust Valve topermit the passage of air from the mask; means for sterilizing air passing through said exhaust valve; and adjustable means for holding the mask against the features at varying pressures.

4. A Ventilating mask for patients and the like comprising a hollow body shaped at one end to conform to the features and to inclose the nose and mouth of said features;

means for conveying slightly compressed air tothe interior of the mask; means actuated by air pressure within the mask for preventing the escape of air between the mask =and features; an exhaust valve to permit the passage of air from the mask; means for sterilizing air passing through said exhaust valve; and meansl for regulating the pressure of the mask holding means.

5. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow body having an open end shaped t0 pressing the at right angles to said edge; means for con- Veymg air into the body; an exhaust valve on the body; and means for detachably securing the-body of the mask to the face of the patient.

6. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow body having an open end shaped to conform to' the face adjacent the nose and mouth; a flexible flange mounted upon the edge of the open end and normally arranged at right angles to said edge; means for conveying air into the body; an exhaust Valve on the body; means for detachably securing the body of the mask to the face of a patient; and means for adjusting the pressure of the mask upon the face of a patient.

7. A Ventilating maskcomprising a hollow body having an open end shaped to conform to the human features adjacent the nose and mouth thereof and to inclose said nose and mouth; an exhaust Valve detachably mounted upon the body and directly opposite the open end thereof; a flexible flange arranged at right angles to the edges of the open end; and means for conveying air into the mask from opposite directions.

' 8. A Ventilating mask compr1sing a hollow body having an open end shaped to conform to the human features adjacent the nose and mouth thereof and to inclose said nose and mouth;.an exhaust Valve detachably mounted'upon the body and directly opposite the open end thereof; a flexible flange arranged at right angles to the edges of the open end; means for conveying air into the mask from opposite directions; and means for pressing the edges of the open end gf the mask with equal pressure. against the ace.

9. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow body having an open end shaped to conform to the human features adjacent the nose and mouth thereof and to inclose said nose and mouth; anexhaust Valve detachably mounted upon the body and directly opposite the open end thereof; a flexible flange arranged at right angles to the edges of the open end; means for conveying air into the mask from opposite directions; means for pressing the edges of the open end of the mask with equal pressure against the face; and means for regulating the pressure of the mask against the face. l

l0. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow body having an open end shaped to conform to the human features adjacent the nose and mouth thereof and to inclose said nose and mouth; an exhaust Valve detachably mounted upon the body and directly opposite the open end thereof; a flexible flange arranged at right angles to the edges of the open end; means forfconveying'air into the mask from 'Ao posite directions; and means for holding tlie mask against or away from the face.

11. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow semi-resilient body having an open end whose edges are shaped to conform to the human features and to inclose the nose and mouth of said features and laterally and oppositely arranged ports within said body; an exhaust valve detachably mounted upon the body and directly opposite the open end thereof; an absorbent chemical retaining element arranged on the inside of the valve and covering the entire outlet of said Valve; and means rotatably mounted within the ports for conveying opposing air currents into said body.

12. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow semi-resilient body having an open end whose edges are shaped to conform to the human features and to inclose the nose and mouth of said features and laterally and oppositely arranged ports within said body; an exhaust valve detachably mounted upon the body and directly opposite the open end thereof; an absorbent chemical retaining element arranged on the inside of the Valve and covering the entire outlet of said valve; means rotatably mounted within the ports for conveying opposing air currents into said body; a suitable headieee arranged to engage the head of a patient; and means pivotally mounted upon the head-piece and pivotally connected to the mask to press the open end thereof against the face of a patient.

13. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollow semi-resilient body having opposed inlet ports therein and open ends, one of which has the edges thereof formed to conform to the shape of the human features adjacent the face and mouth and to inclose the nose and mouth; a flexible flange mounted upon said edge and normally arranged at right angles thereto; an exhaust Valve detachably mounted within the other open end ofthe body; an absorbent chemical retaining eleadj ustably connecting the mask to the spring member; and means for exerting a pressure on the spring member to hold the mask against the face in one position and -away from the face in another position.

14. A Ventilating mask comprising a hollou7 semi-resilient body having opposed inlet ports therein and open ends, one of which has the edges thereof 'formed to conform to the shape of the human features adjacent the face and mouth and to inelose the nose and mouth; a flexible flange mounted upon said edge and normally arranged at right angles thereto; an exhaust Valve detachably mounted within the other open end of the body; an absorbent chemical retainin element arranged on the inside of the ex iaust Valve and covering the entire outlet of' said Valve whereby air passing therethrough may be chemically treated; air supplying tubes rotatably mounted within the ports; a suitable head-piece arranged to engage Ythe head of a patient; a spring member plivotally connected to the head-piece; means for adjustably connecting the mask to the spring member; means for exerting a pressure on the spring member to hold the mask against the face in one position and away from the face in another positon; and means for regulating the pressure on the spring member whereby the pressure of the mask against the face may be regulated.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my signature.

MAJOR GEORGE E. DARRW. 

